| |
| |
Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison b. Berkeley, Charles City, Virginia, 9 February 1773
d. Washington, D.C., 4 April 1841
Saturday, 4 April 1818 Resolution directing medals to be struck, and, together with the thanks of Congress, presented to Major General Harrison, and Governor Shelby; and for other purposes. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby, presented to Major General William Henry Harrison, and Isaac Shelby, late governor of Kentucky, and, through them, to the officers and men under their command, for their gallantry and good conduct in defeating the combined British and Indian forces under Major General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, capturing the British army, with their baggage, camp equipage and artillery; and that the President of the United States be requested to cause two gold medals to be struck, emblematical of this triumph, and presented to General Harrison, and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Kentucky. 3 Stat. 476 William Henry Harrison holds several presidential records. He was the oldest man inaugurated as president for a first term (until Ronald Reagan in 1981). Some believe that Harrison thought he had something to prove on March 4, 1841, the day of his inaugural. He delivered a two-hour-long inaugural address (the longest ever, another record) on a remarkably cold, rainy day -- all without a hat or an overcoat. Harrison seemed determined to show that a man his age was up to the rigors of the presidency, despite the weather. But Harrison's final record was for the shortest presidency. After standing out in the cold rain for two hours, President Harrison fell ill and died on April 4, 1841 -- 31 days later. He was the first president to die in office.
![United States of America Congressional Gold Medal Recipient<br>
<br>
President William Henry Harrison - Inaugural Address, [ca. March 4, 1841]](images/WilliamHenryHarrison1.jpg)
Inaugural Address, [ca. March 4, 1841]
|
|
|
|
|
Articles & Breifings
